Machine for piercing wiredrawing die units



J. L. MY Rs 2,412,101

MACHINE FOR PIERCING WIRE DRAWING DIE UNITS Filed Dec. 6, 1943 PatentedDec. 3, 1946 MACHINE FOR PIERCING WIREDRAWING DIE UNIT-S John L. Smycrs;Fort Wayne, 1nd .a s s igno r to Ajax Industrial ,Supplies, -In c',,Fort Wayne, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application December 6, 1943,Serial No. 513,201

This invention relates to improvements in machines for piercing wiredrawing dies of that type wherein a refractory die body, such as adiamond, is established within a surrounding metallic encasement andsubsequently bored to provide a die opening through the axis thereof torthe passage of wire'as in the usual wire-drawing operation.

In the usual practice, a die unit, constituted of a die body and itsencasement, is disposed upon a spindle, and an arbor provided with aneedle or nib is arranged in axial alinement with the unit and spindle,there being provided mechanism for rotating the spindle and arbor inopposie directions and for concurrently imparting axial reciprocatingmovement to the arbor. Generally, in such arrangements there isoccasioned an impact between the nib and die body upon completion ofeach down stroke of the arbor whereupon the full weight of the arbor issuddenly imposed upon the nib causing it to buckle or spring out of truealinement with the common axis of the revolving parts.

Such unintended lateral play of the nib tends to cause enlargement ofthe bore as it is made in the die body and is detrimental especiallywhen the bore required is of exceedingly small diameter and the nibnecessarily slender. Such tendencies are aggravated as violence of theimpacts increase which frequently cause inaccurate performance orfracture of the nib.

An object of the present invention is to afford in connection with adie-piercing machine having a revolving and axially movable spindleprovided with a nib, and a die supporting spindle axiall alined withsaid arbor, a support for said arbor to yieldingly limit the strokethereof, and means to create axial tremor of the arbor wherefore tolengthen the normal limited stroke of said arbor, thus to soften andincrease the frequency of impacts between the nib and a die bodydisposed on said spindle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a die piercing machine bywhich to facilitate making of die openings through die bodies in suchmanner as to more accurately pierce the die body and materially reducethe time ordinarily required to penetrate it.

And a further object of the invention is to provide in a wire diepiercing machine means whereby the impacts between the penetratin niband the die body are softened and increased in frequency as comparedwith the common practice, wherefore .to attain accuracy and speed inperforming the boring operation.

4 Claims. (o1. 1-25-,-3o

Other objects and advantages of the invention appear in the followingdescription.

The above objects are accomplished by the construction shown in theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a machin in which the invention isincorporated, parts being in section; and

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the arbor-supporting finger and a vibratorassociated therewith, forming part of the machine.

The illustrative embodiment of the invention consists of a machinehaving a frame ,3 provided with alined bearings 4-5 in which is mountedan arbor .6 having rotary and axial movement therein and which isprovided withmeans for rotation thereof, preferably consisting of a pully 1 driven by a belt 8 actuated by any suitable means (not shown). Thelower end of the arbor has in connection therewith a chuck 9 providedwith .aneedle or nib ,lil thatrotates with the arbor upon a common axis.

In the base I l of the framers mounted a spindle i2 provided on itsupper end with a face plate l3, and at its bottom with a pulley l4actuated by a belt |5 connected with a suitable source of powerlnotshown). The spindle and the arbor are axially alined and preferably arerotated in opposite directions. 7

On the frameare provided brackets [,6 in which issupported ahorizontalrshaft I1 thataffords pivotal, support for a lever or fingerI8 the forward end of which is bifurcated and extends a-stridethe arbor6 and upon which the pulley I bears and resists downward movementthereof.

On theframe 3 is mounted a guide IS in which is slidably mounted forvertical movement therein a carriage 2B the upper end of which hasmounted therein a threaded post 2! provided with a lock nut fi by whichthe post is secured in adjusted positions relative to the carriage. The

upper end of the post has thereon a cushion 23, preferably made ofrubber and which has contact with and yieldingly supports the finger 18in a Upon the finger I8 is mounted a vibrator of any suitableconstruction, preferably consisting of an electric magnetic base 30provided with an electrical coil 3| that is energized by alternatingcurrent supplied from any suitable source (not shown) through conductors32-33. The base 30 has a core 34 that extends upwardly through the coil3|, and disposed over the upper end of the core, suitably spacedtherefrom, is a reed 35 supported at one end by a block 36 that haspivotal support as indicated by 31 upon the base 30. The block isprovided with an adjusting screw 38 the inner end of which bears againstthe base, the arrangement being such that, by adjustably turning of thescrew, the space between the reed 35 and the core 34 is varied. When thecoil is energized the reed is magnetically attracted, thus im-.

parting to the finger more or less vertical vibratory movement which inturn causes vertical tremors of the arbor apart or in addition to thenormal axial movement thereof occasioned by action of the carriage oradjustment of the post. The tremors'thus imparted cause elongation inthe range of the normal stroke of the arbor permitted by yielding actionof the cushion 23 with respect to the finger.

Operation In utilizing the invention the die unitto be pierced generallyconsists of a die body 39 provided with a reinforcing encasement 40,there being made in the unit axial cavities 4| in its top and bottomthat extend through the encasement and partially into the die body madepreliminary to the piercing operation. The unit is centered on theface-plate and secured thereon in axial alinement with the spindle andarbor by any suitable means, such as wax applied in the usual manner.The arbor is then lowered by adjustment of the post 2| while thecarriage 20 is in its lowermost position, so the nib l closelyapproaches contact with the die body. Rotary motion is then imparted tothe arbor and spindle, and the carriage is reciprocated vertically bythe mechanisms therefor provided so that while the unit is revolved inone direction the nib is rotated in the'opposite direction andsimultaneously is axially reciprocated through the medium of thecarriage and the finger. When current is supplied through the conductors32-33 the vibrator is energized causing the finger to tremble therebycreating vertical tremors of the arbor which receives support on thefinger. The cushion 23 on the post yields more or less to the tremblingaction of the finger so that the downward stroke -of the arbor iscorrespondingly lengthened thus permitting the nib to have actualcontact with the die body with penetrating effect. usual practice theoperation is efiected by use of a fine abrasive dust accumulated in theregion of the point of impact between the nib and die body.

As the tremors of the arbor are of high frequency the resultant impactsbetween the nib and die body cause corresponding rapid penetration ofthe nib through the body, its downward progress being controlled bymanipulation of the post.

In making dies of small bore, such as are re quired for drawing veryfine wire, it is essential that the thrust of the nib be gentle as thepoint 'of its impact with the die body isapproached in order tocircumvent buckling or blunting of the: nib. In such instancesreciprocation of the carriage maybe dispensed with by removal of thebelt 29from the pulley 28 and turning AS in the 4 the shaft 26 so thecam 25 is in its lowermost position. The spindle 6 is then adjustedvertically to a selected position by turning the post 2| to move thefinger so the nib closely approaches contact with the die body. Thus,when the vibrator is energized vertical tremors of the spindle createdthrough the medium of the finger are more or less softened especially inthe downward action of the spindle, by yielding of the cushion 23.Piercing of the die body by the nib is progressed as the post 21 isadjusted downwardly by the operator. The downward urge of the arbor isinduced by the tremors of high frequency which are accompanied bycorrespondingly numerous impacts between the nib and the die bodyresulting in rapid penetrative effect as compared with the usualpractice in which a longer and much slower stroke of the arbor isemployed.

In the present invention the actual penetrating effect of the nibthrough the die body is ac-- complished by the lengthened portion of thedown stroke of the arbor occasioned by the tremors thereof while theweight of the arbor is for the most part born by the finger whilesupported yieldingly on the cushion. In this manner the nib, upon eachimpact with the die body, is relieved of the weight of the arbor, whichis a valuable feature of the invention.

Variations from the particular construction above disclosed may beresorted to by the exercise of skill in the art, without departure fromthe scope oi the invention, and the following claims are intended to beinclusive of such variations.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine for piercing wire drawing die units, an arbor mountedfor rotation and axial movement provided with a nib, a spindle mountedfor rotation axially alined with said arbor adapted to support a dieunit to be pierced by said nib, a finger mounted for up and down move-'ment connectedly related with said arbor, a reciprocating carriagehaving an adjustable post thereon provided with a cushion engaging saidfinger to yieldingly limit the down stroke of said finger, a highfrequency vibrator in connection with the finger wherefore to impartvertical tremors to the arbor thus to lengthen its axial movement, andmeans for actuating said carriage, arbor, spindle and the vibrator.

2. In a wire drawing die body piercing apparatus, a frame, a support onthe frame for a die body to be pierced, an arbor mounted in said framefor rotation and axial reciprocating movement, having a nib to engagesaid body and provided with means to rotate said arbor, a pivoted fingerhaving supporting relation with saidarbor provided with cushioned meansto axially reciprocate said arbor, and a high frequency vibratoroperatively associated with said finger by which high frequency tremorsare concurrently superimposed upon the axial reciprocating movement ofthe arbor during engagement of the said body by the nib.

3. A piercing apparatus for wire drawing dies consisting of a die-bodysupport mounted for rotation, an arbor provided with a nib, mounted foraxial and angular movement and axially alined with said die-bodysupport, a finger mounted for pivotal movement, having a yieldingsupport and connected relation with said arbor adapted to restraindownstroke thereoL'a high frequency vibratory member in connection withsaid finger to cause axial tremor of said arbor concurrently withpivotal movement of said finger, and activating means for said die-bodysupport, arbor and vibratory member.

4. A piercing apparatus for wire drawing dies consisting of a die-bodysupport mounted for rotation, an arbor provided with a nib mounted foraxial and angular movement and axially alined with said die-bodysupport, a finger mounted for pivotal movement having supportingconnection with said arbor, an adjustable 6 yielding support for saidfinger adapted to restrain the down-stroke of said finger and the arborsupported thereby, a high frequency vibrator on said finger adapted tocause tremor thereof concurrently with its pivotal movement duringengagement of said nib with a die body placed on said support, and meansto activate said diebody support, arbor and vibrator.

JOHN L. SMYERS.

